Apparatus for Supplying Power to Building Using Solar Power Source

ABSTRACT

Equipment for supplying energy to buildings or building complexes using solar energy as a source has a first solar panel installation for converting solar energy to electricity, a second solar panel installation for converting solar energy to thermal energy, a water based electrolysis device for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity generated by the first solar panel installation, a storage device for hydrogen and an electricity storage device. In order to create a less costly and more versatile energy supply system, the arrangement of multiple independently functioning modular fuel cell blocks of different capacities composed of at least one fuel cell block of specified capacities which can be controlled and initiated either individually or in combination depending on the demand for electricity and/or thermal energy and depending on the optimal constellation of fuel cell blocks engaged.

This invention concerns an equipment for supplying energy to buildingsor building complexes using solar energy as source in accordance withthe generic terms of claim 1.

It is known that solar installations using solar energy can supplybuildings with electricity and/or thermal energy. Disadvantageous in ourdegree of latitude is that in the summer there is more solar energy thancan be used and in the winter, just the opposite, there is not enough.Storage of these forms of energy in order that summer surpluses betransferred for winter usage is not foreseeable in the immediate future.

It was therefore suggested that, implementing equipment known from DE 3413 772 A1 with solar based input processes, photovoltaic be used toconvert solar energy to electricity for the electrolysis of water toproduce hydrogen to be stored to power a gas turbine generator, whichwould produce electricity and/or thermal energy when needed. However,gas turbine generators are, on the one hand, costly to produce and, onthe other hand, relatively large requiring an inappropriate amount ofspace in such buildings. Furthermore, additional external energy isneeded.

Further, it is known from DE 101 30 284 A1 that an energy supply systemfor the autarkic energy supply of buildings and building complexes mustincorporate a combination of hydrogen storage tanks and fuel cells forsupplying electricity in addition to the implementation of solar panelsor forced heat coupling units to generate initial thermal energy. Theimplementation and combination of both system components, for supplyingelectricity and for supplying thermal energy, is networked and/ordependent on energy demand. This means that for each building orbuilding complex a custom tailored energy supply system must be planned,constructed, and installed. This would result in inappropriate planningand production expenditures for each building to be supplied.

The task of the invention at hand is, therefore, to devise equipment forsupplying energy to buildings using solar energy as a source as abovedescribed, which is less costly and can be installed with moreflexibility in an equally customized way.

In order to accomplish said task for such equipment the specifiedattributes in claim 1 are provided.

In addition to equipment for small buildings, through the attributes ofthis invention, the production of electricity from stored hydrogen,through a fundamentally self-sufficient system, for one or morebuildings is provided for the entire year. A substantial advantage interms of demand-oriented economic interchangeability and feasibility ofan autarkic energy supply could be achieved through the stationarymodular implementation of, for instance, blocks of automotive fuel cellsof different capacities. Additionally, this standardization achieves asubstantial reduction of costs in such systems because such blocks canbe prefabricated and pre-mounted in a range of different sizes.

The attributes of claim 2 describe the realization of individual energymodules with a simple distribution system designed for customized andeconomical implementation for all seasons and in all environmentalconditions.

A further improvement of power generation and usage is achieved by theattributes described in claim 3.

The attributes of claims 4 through 7 describe the possibility of storageof the hydrogen (and, if desired) oxygen produced through electrolysisin small buildings.

Additional advantageous arrangements ensue from the attributes of one ormore of claims 8 through 12.

Further details of the invention are to be found in the followingdescription in which the invention is more closely described andexplained through drawings of several sample installations.

The following is shown:

FIG. 1 a schematic cross-section of a building with equipment forautarkic supplying of energy using solar energy as a source, and

FIG. 2 a block diagram of modularly constructed equipment for supplyingenergy.

Equipment 10, described in FIG. 1, is designed for autarkic supplying ofenergy to building 11 using solar energy as the sole source. In FIG. 1,building 11 is, for the sake of example, a one-family house with theangle of the saddle roof 12 optimized for capturing solar rays theentire day. Beneath the saddle roof 12 is apartment 13 and beneathapartment 13 is cellar 14 in which the energy supply equipment ishoused. The exterior walls 15 are constructed with optimal thermalinsulation 16.

The inclined roof surfaces 21 and 22 (with the ceiling of attic 17 alsoconstructed with optimal thermal insulation 16) are each, preferably,completely covered with a first solar panel installation 23 forconverting of solar energy to electricity and a second solar panelinstallation 24 for converting solar energy to thermal energy. Thepartitioning of the roof surfaces 21 and 22 between solar panelinstallations 23 and 24 is done is accordance with the expected demandof direct thermal energy and electricity. Not explicitly shown in thedrawing, areas of the first solar installation 23, which usesphotovoltaic, are equipped with a thermal conduction device throughwhich the first solar installation 23 can be cooled and waste heat canbe utilized increasing efficiency.

For direct and indirect usage of solar energy through energy conversion,a variety of aggregates are housed in cellar 14.

An electricity storage device 26 allows for direct usage of electricitygenerated by the photovoltaic and/or first the solar panel installation23, which, for instance, is composed of one or more batteries and/orcapacitors. The electrolysis device 27 is attached directly to thephotovoltaic installation 23 and/or the electricity storage device 26.The electrolysis device 27 splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.Likewise the electricity supply system 28 of building 11 is alsoconnected, for instance through an inverter, to the photovoltaicinstallation 23 and/or the electricity storage device 26.

The gases, hydrogen and oxygen, generated by the electrolysis device 27are used differently in this example. The hydrogen is, intermittently,stored in a pressurized storage tank 31. The oxygen is, for instance,used to better the air in the apartment 13 and/or attic 17. Thepressurized storage tank 31 is connected to a liquefaction device 32,which is connected to the electricity storage device 26 and/or to thephotovoltaic installation 23 through the central control device 40. Theliquefied hydrogen is then transferred from the liquefaction device 32to the liquefied hydrogen storage tank 33.

Equipment for autarkical supplying of energy to building 11 also has afuel cell block system 36, which is connected to the liquefied hydrogenstorage tank 33, additionally serving to provide building 11 withelectricity.

The thermal energy storage unit 38 for the warm water system of building11 is supplied by the second solar panel installation 24 with thermalenergy in the usual way. Additionally, waste heat from cooling of thefirst solar installation 23 can be captured by a heat pump andtransferred to the thermal energy storage unit 38. Correspondingly thewarm water system 38 can also be supplied by geo-thermal energy througha heat pump or by solar energy from the photovoltaic installation 23and/or by electric heating by the fuel cell block. The heat pump(s) arepowered by electricity from the photovoltaic installation 23 and/or theelectricity storage device 26 and/or the fuel cell block system 36.

Equipment for autarkical supplying of energy to building 11 also has acentral control device 40, which, according to demands dictated by theweather and the energy demand of the consumer, distributes electricityand thermal energy. Thus, for instance, the not directly consumedelectricity will be directed to the electricity storage device 26. Ifthe electricity storage device 26 is full or if the quantity ofelectricity exceeds the charging capacity of the electricity storagedevice 26, the electrolysis device 27 starts and the generated hydrogenis transferred through the liquefaction device 32 to the liquefiedhydrogen storage tank 33.

If the momentary energy demand exceeds the incidental solar energy, theelectricity storage device 26 as well as the fuel cell block system 36will be used to supply building 11 with energy. The distribution of eachenergy contribution, i.e. thermal energy and electricity, is regulatedaccording to the needs of the consumer.

If a building with little or no warm water requirements were to beequipped with such an autarkic system, then it would be sufficient thatroof 12 were covered solely with the first solar installation 23,leaving out the second solar installation 24 entirely, which would meanthat the minimal warm water needs of such a building would be metthrough an electric warm water heater.

Further, it is possible to cover not only the roof surfaces 21 and 22but also the exterior walls 15 with the photovoltaic installation 23.

FIG. 2 shows equipment 110 for supplying energy to a building complex118, which is composed of multiple buildings, 111/1, 111/2, etc., of thesame and/or different size and/or form. Equipment 110 has either all orsome of the individual devices, which will be described in detail,arranged at a central location 120 in the form of a building, container,a free space, and/or the equivalent. The first solar panel installation123 for conversion of solar energy to electricity may also be placed atthis central location 120. The second solar panel installation 124 iseither also at the central location 120 or, more practically, located onthe buildings 111/1, 111/2, etc.

As with equipment 10 portrayed in FIG. 1, equipment 110 portrayed inFIG. 2 is made up of a first solar panel/photovoltaic installation 123and an electricity storage device 126, which is composed of, forinstance, one or more batteries and/or capacitors. The electrolysisdevice 127 is directly connected to the photovoltaic installation 123and/or the electricity storage device 126. The electrolysis device 127splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. Likewise, the electricity supplysystem 128 of buildings 111/1, 111/2, etc. is also connected, forinstance through an inverter, to the photovoltaic installation 123and/or the electricity storage device 126.

The gases, hydrogen and oxygen, generated by the electrolysis device 127in equipment 110 are treated similarly and, at least partially, usedsimilarly. The oxygen as well as the hydrogen is stored, intermittently,in a pressurized storage tank 131 or 141. The pressurized storage tanks131 and 141 are connected to liquefaction devices 132 and 142respectively, which are connected to the electricity storage device 126and/or to the photovoltaic installation 123 through the central controldevice 140. The liquefied hydrogen and the liquefied oxygen are thentransferred from the liquefaction devices 132 and 142 to the liquefiedhydrogen storage tank 133 and to the liquefied oxygen storage tank 143.

Equipment 110 for the autarkical supplying of energy to the buildingcomplex 118 also has a fuel cell block system 136, which is made up ofmultiple modular fuel cell blocks 136/1, 136/2, etc. with differentcapacities. More than one of each modular fuel cell block 136/1, 136/2,etc. may be present in fuel cell block system 136. The individualmodular fuel cells are connected on the input side to the pressurizedhydrogen storage tank 131 and pressurized oxygen storage tank 141 and/orto the liquefied hydrogen storage tank 133 and to the liquefied oxygenstorage tank 143. Individual modular fuel cells output electricitydirectly into the electricity storage device 126 and/or directly(through an appropriate converter) into the electrical network of eachbuilding 111/1, 111/2, etc. of the building complex 118. For example,the modular fuel cell blocks could be of different sizes 136/1, 136/2,etc. with a power output of 5 KW, 10 KW, 20 KW, 50 KW, 100 KW, 200 KW,500 KW. The composition (in number and model of each fuel cell) of thedifferent modular fuel cell blocks 136/1 etc. depends on the estimatedneeded output at certain hours of operation.

The second solar panel installation 124 for generation of thermal energycan either be centrally located or, as in the above example FIG. 2,located at each of the buildings 111/1 etc. of the building complex 118.The abovementioned central control device 140 distributes electricityand thermal energy according to demands dictated by the weather and theenergy demand of the consumer, as in the example above and is describedin FIG. 1.

In addition to this central controlling device 140, equipment 110 has asecond control device 145, which initiates the individual modular fuelcell blocks 136/1 etc. either individually or in combination accordingto the demand for electricity. This means that the second control device145 monitors the energy demand over time or, for instance at specificpeak times, and accordingly engages the required modular fuel cellsindividually or in combination, not only depending on the energy neededbut also on the optimal efficiency of the fuel cell constellation. Thatis to say that control device 145 turns on or turns off the necessarycombination of fuel cells optimally. In other words, if, for example, 30KW are needed either one 20 KW and one 10 KW fuel cell block or one 20KW and two 5 KW fuel cell blocks will be turned on according toefficiency and effectiveness. The modular fuel cell blocks 136/1 etc.are each capable of functioning independently because each of theseblocks is individually connected to the necessary storage units ofhydrogen and oxygen.

The oxygen stored in device 141 and/or 143 in equipment 110 can also beused for other purposes in any of the buildings 111/1 etc. of thebuilding complex 118. For example, oxygen can be used to improve thecondition of the air in one or more of the buildings 111/1 etc. of thebuilding complex 118. If one of the buildings in building complex 118 isa hospital, e.g. 111/5 or another, it is also possible to use transferthe oxygen generated by the electrolysis device 127 directly to thehospital's oxygen supply system.

As is not directly displayed in FIG. 2, it is also possible that abuilding complex 118 can also be supported by equipment 110 when thecomplex is made up a single uniform large-building. In this case, thefuel cell block system 136 and its component fuel cell blocks 136/1 etc.are housed within the large-building.

1-12. (canceled)
 13. Equipment for supplying energy to buildings orbuilding complexes using solar energy as a source, comprising: a firstsolar panel installation to generate electricity from solar energy; awater based electrolysis device to split water into hydrogen and oxygenusing electricity generated by said first solar panel installation;storage tanks for hydrogen; a fuel cell block system connected to saidhydrogen storage tanks to generate electricity; and an electricitystorage device characterized by the arrangement of multipleindependently functioning modular fuel cell blocks of differentcapacities composed of at least one fuel cell block of specifiedcapacities which can be controlled and initiated either individually orin combination to optimally produce the demanded electricity.
 14. Theequipment according to claim 13, further comprising: a control device,wherein: said modular fuel cell blocks are connected through saidcontrol device, which monitors energy demand and engages or disengagesone or more of said modular fuel cell blocks accordingly.
 15. Theequipment according to claim 13, further comprising: a first set ofstorage tanks for oxygen.
 16. The equipment according to claim 13,wherein: said fuel cell blocks are connected to said oxygen storagetanks.
 17. The equipment according to claim 13, wherein: said storagetanks comprise first and the second set of storage tanks for hydrogen oroxygen connected to liquefied storage tanks.
 18. The equipment accordingto claim 17, further comprising: a liquefaction device connected to saidfirst solar panel installation.
 19. The equipment according to claim 13,wherein: each modular fuel cell block is connected to said electrolysisdevice for the powering of said fuel cell block system.
 20. Theequipment according to claim 15, further comprising: a second set ofstorage tanks for oxygen connected to said first solar panelinstallation for cooling.
 21. The equipment according to claim 15,further comprising: a second set of storage tanks for oxygen connectedto the building's air conditioning.
 22. The equipment according to claim15, further comprising: a second set of storage tanks for oxygenconnected to a hospital's oxygen supply system.
 23. The equipmentaccording to claim 13, further comprising: a second solar panelinstallation for the conversion of solar energy to thermal energy. 24.The equipment according to claim 13, further comprising: a secondcontrol device for the distribution of electricity and/or thermal energyto the consumer and/or storage devices.